What We Do

Flavored Tobacco

A large group of Dover Youth to Youth students held an informational demonstration in the Cocheco Courtyard in Downtown Dover, holding signs and reciting chants, to draw the public’s attention to the issue of candy flavorings being put into tobacco products.

Who’s the Real Target?

These products include cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and cigars (see photo) with flavorings like berry, strawberry, peach and chocolate. The project was spearheaded by Y2Y member Emily Martuscello, who spoke during a press conference the students held as part of the demonstration. The Y2Y students demanded that the tobacco industry stop using tactics such as adding candy flavorings to tobacco in order to try to attract youngsters to their products. The students are concerned that this will make tobacco more attractive and easier to “get used to” when they first try it, ultimately ending up addicted to the nicotine.

Twista Lime Pack

As part of the demonstration the students also created a large target that asked the question: “Who is the real target (of candy flavored tobacco)?” Students spoke to pedestrians as they passed by and handed out palm cards with messages on them regarding the tactics of the tobacco industry. To make their point the students also made large cardboard mock-ups of common candy products and gave them tobacco consequence related names – so that Starburst became “Tarburst” and Lifesavers became “Lifestoppers” (see photo).